Police investigating ‘suspicious disappearance’ of pastor’s wife and friend whose car was found at side of road

Veronica Butler, 27, and Jillian Kelley, 39, went to pick up children in Oklahoma, but never arrived

Veronica Butler, 27, and Jillian Kelley, 39, disappeared in rural Oklahoma on Saturday 30 March 2024 (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation/Facebook)

Two friends have disappeared in Oklahoma, with their car found abandoned at the side of a rural road on Saturday.

Veronica Butler, 27, and Jillian Kelley, 39, were travelling together to pick up children, according to an alert from the Texas County Sheriff’s Office.

“They never made it to the pick-up location,” the alert on Facebook said.

Instead, their car was found abandoned near Highway 95 and Road L.

The area is mostly rural, sitting in the Oklahoma panhandle close to Elkhart, Kansas.

Multiple agencies are now involved in the case, with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation saying that its investigation was ongoing, alongside TCSO and the state’s Highway Patrol.

The OSBI described the case as “suspicious”.

Ms Kelley is the wife of a new pastor at a church in Nebraska, according to a post from the Willow Christian Church on Facebook.

“Please pray that Jillian and her friend Veronica are safe and that they are found quickly,” the post said. “God please bring these women home to their families that are so worried about them.”

Ms Butler is described as being 5’4” with red hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt, denim shorts and Hey Dudes shoes.

TCSO said she has several tattoos, including a Chinese symbol on her left forearm and a sunflower on her left shoulder.

Ms Kelley has brown hair and blue eyes. She was reportedly wearing white-washed blue jeans, a long-sleeved shirt and tan or beige shoes. She also has a tattoo, a butterfly on her left forearm.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the OSBI at tips@osbi.ok.gov or 1-800-522-8017.